OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open access peer-reviewed journal
Assessment of Knowledge Management Capabilities of the Nigerian Quantity Surveying Firms
Isma’il Umar a, Baba Kolo Adama b , Yusuf Gandu Joe c
a Department of Quantity Surveying, Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure, Jigawa state, Nigeria.
b, c Department of Quantity Surveying, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 11-25, 2014.
Abstract: Knowledge management (KM) capabilities provide the supportive structure required to share knowledge within the context in which it is required in an organizations and they can encourage acquiring knowledge, protecting knowledge and facilitating knowledge sharing in an organization. This paper aims to assess the capabilities of the Nigerian Quantity Surveying firms in adopting KM concept and provide proper recommendation in order to adopt and implement KM successfully. 78 structured questionnaires were submitted to the professionals in the practicing Quantity Surveying firms to obtain the required data for the purpose of this study. A quantitative research approach was carried out to achieve the stated aim of the study. Our assessment uncovers to us the extent of KM capabilities of the Nigerian Quantity Surveying firms and also pin point the grey areas such as motivation that should be improved in order to adopt and implement KM successfully. The statistical sample of the respondents participated in the questionnaire survey was limited to only practicing Quantity Surveying Consultancy firms resident in Kaduna and Kano states of Nigeria and this could affect the generalization of the findings to the entire country. The structure of the questionnaire search was focused only on the capabilities of the practicing Quantity Surveying Consultancy firms in view of adopting KM and the variables considered was restricted to only knowledge-based capabilities (creativity, intelligence, skills, motivation and communication) whereas resource-based capabilities (organizational culture, structure and technology infrastructure) was not give much emphasis in this research work. This research consolidates collective movement towards implementation of KM in the Nigerian Quantity Surveying Consultancy firms and forms a guide for improving KM capabilities in these firms.
Keywords: ANOVA, Knowledge Management Capabilities, Nigeria, Quantity Surveying Firms, Ranking
Women Entrepreneurship Activities on Construction Sites in Ogbomoso, Nigeria
Oluwaseyi Dorcas Adeoye a, Odetoye Sunday Adeola b, Ayanda Oyeniyi O Ladimeji c, Joseph Joshua Olu d
a, b, c, d Department of Architecture, LadokeAkintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 25-35, 2014.
Abstract: Housing development is a productive and important source of income and employment. It encourages microenterprise, which could in turn be used to solve most socio-economic problems especially among women. In spite of their considerable involvement in both labour intensive construction work and non-construction related services at housing development sites, the contribution of these women has largely been ignored in official statistics. The sizes of their microenterprises are too small to be qualified for official assistance by the government.
This study examined the activities of women micro-entrepreneurs at housing construction sites in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted sustainable development framework and the impact of microenterprises intervention to provide the conceptual basis for this study. It identifies the various types of microenterprises established by women in the study area and appraised their operational activities and examine ways through which housing development constrain or facilitate women micro-enterprise.
Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. A multi-stage sampling method was adopted for administering a questionnaire to 92 women micro-entrepreneurs in 15 housing construction sites where the women micro-entrepreneurs were found. Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regressions were used to test the hypotheses.
The outcome of the analysis revealed that majority (64%) of women between the ages of 25-44 years actually engage in this activity while 63% of the respondents signified that they are married with average household size of four (4) persons. The highest level of education for the respondents is secondary school level. Food vendor appear to be the major activity of these women. The multiple regression results showed that the overall level of explanation of the five explanation variables, is not significant (r2=0.157; P<0.05). The amount of initial take-off capital shows great impact on the income of the women micro-entrepreneurs (r = 0.511, P< 0.01) while there is positive relationship between income and savings of the entrepreneurs (r = 0.583, P < 0.01).
The research observed that the women involve in micro-entrepreneurs deserved recognitions and support in order to actualise the concepts of predicted sustainable livelihood. Thus, all stakeholders’ collaborative efforts are of utmost importance in order to achieve the goal of sustainable livelihoods outcome. These stakeholders include all actors and key players in housing development, women issues, SMEs development employment generation, poverty alleviation and the women micro-entrepreneurs themselves.
Keywords: Construction, Housing, Micro-enterprise, Sustainable, Women.
Neural network formulation for evapotranspiration modelling in Swaziland
Samkele Sikhulile Tfwala a, Yu-Min Wang b
a, b Department of Civil Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology,
Neipu, Pingtung Taiwan.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 35-46, 2014.
Abstract: Evapotranspiration is one of the most significant components in the context of water resources management, especially in the planning and management of irrigation practices. The irrigation sector in Swaziland is the largest consumer of water, using about 96% of the available water, while livestock, domestic and industry shares the remaining 4%. Hence, its accurate estimation is essential to ensure sustainability in our scarce resource, water. The FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (PM) method has remained the sole standard method of estimating the reference evapotranspiration (ETo). However, the numerous meteorological variables required have been a major setback for most developing countries like Swaziland. Temperature based models including Blaney-Criddle (BCR) and Hargreaves (HRG) are used instead despite their limited accuracy. The present study proposes the use of multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks to estimate ETo under limited data conditions. Neural networks have gained popularity over the years in hydrologic applications due to their ability to model non-linear processes with greater accuracy. Daily climatic data collected from 2004 to 2011 at Malkerns research station, Swaziland, are used for the investigation. The data sets were divided to four based on the four different seasons of the country; autumn, spring, summer and winter. This was done to counter effect the proneness of over estimation and under estimation of ETo by the temperature based models. The performance of the models seasonally was compared with their performance on annual basis. The different climatic parameters collected; relative humidity (RH), solar radiation (Rs), sunshine hours (u) and wind speed (U) were individually combined in the MLP with minimum (Tmin) and maximum temperatures (Tmax) to identify the most sensitive parameters in the different seasons. Coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were used to test performance of the different models. Results have shown that MLP temperature based models improves ETo estimation when compared to BCR and HRG by as high as 30%; with FAO-56 PM as the reference. Hargreaves method came second and BCR method, last. After introducing the different climatic parameters in the MLP-temperature based model, the coefficient of determination increased significantly. The most sensitive parameters to the estimation of ETo in the autumn, spring, summer and winter were U (R2 = 0.688), RH (R2 = 0.877), Rs (R2 = 0.911) and U (R2 = 0.781), respectively. When season is not considered, annual estimations indicate that solar radiation is the most sensitive parameter, and this might decrease the estimations of ETo since seasonal estimations show Rs to be most crucial in the summer season. Our findings indicate that MLP can be successfully used to improve ETo estimations in Swaziland, consequently, improving the overall water use efficiency and sustainability.
Keywords: evapotranspiration, limited climatic data, multilayer perceptron networks, Swaziland, water management
Ensuring the Sustainability of an Engineering Curriculum – A Case Study from a Telecommunications Course
Arthur James Swart
Faculty of Engineering and IT, Central University of Technology, Willows, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 47-56, 2014.
Abstract: Sustainability has been extensively promoted across all spheres of life, including engineering, business management and education. The purpose of this paper is to highlight how an engineering curriculum can be made sustainable in order to benefit both academics and students alike. It places particular emphasis on reflecting on and revising vague learning outcomes, which are not conducive to a sustainable curriculum. A possible definition for a sustainable curriculum is substantiated which is based on its learning outcomes that need to be clear, concise, measurable, manageable, reasonable and sustainable, being interpreted in the same way between relevant registered students from different cohorts and between academics within the same department. Feedback was obtained via a focus group interview of post-graduate engineering students in a telecommunications course who indicated that the revised learning outcomes where easier to understand, enabling them to know what was exactly expected from them.
Keywords: Clarity, Conciseness, Learning outcomes, Manageability, Measurability
Odyssey Search for Sustainable Development: Re-Linking National Integration and Fiscal Federalism with their Challenges In Nigeria
Joseph Okwesili Nkwede a
a Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences And Humanity,
Ebonyi State University Abakaliki Nigeria.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 57-64, 2014.
Abstract: One of the most critical issues in Nigeria as a country of extraordinary diversities and complexities is the challenges of National Integration and sustainable development. These challenges is indeed, the major centrifugal and petrifugal forces driving Nigeria Federalism in the 21st Century and has paved way for the current jiggery-pokery in the governance of the country. The resultant effect of this phenomenon which is essentially evidenced is the emergence of religious crises and ethnic diversities which is accentuated in the resources management of the country. Consequently, the high level of ethnic crises, and ethno-religious crises, inter-alia in Nigerian Federalism is better imagined than described. Against this backdrop, this study aimed at re-establishing a link between National Integration and Fiscal Federalism in Nigeria with particular attention on its challenges. In doing this, trend analytical method was employed while human need theory was used as a theoretical framework. The study finds that resource control, inequitable derivation formula, abrogation of onshore/offshore dichotomy is the major factors affecting national integration in Nigeria. The Study recommends among others, that revenue allocation formula be reviewed to accommodate the grey areas in the system. This, if strictly adhered to, will launch Nigeria to a better pedestrian.
Keywords: Sustainable Development, National Integration, Fiscal Federalism, Nigeria
Reading Metacognitive Awareness in Malaysian Secondary Schools: Some Aspects of Students Background Differences
Muhammad Azhar Zailaini a, Wail Muin Ismail b, Anfal Gulam Muzammil c
a, b Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 65-73, 2014.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the reading metacognitive awareness (RMA) among the secondary school students. Specifically, the study answers the following question: Are there differences in reading metacognitive awareness in terms of gender, place of residence, family socioeconomic status, self-confidence and time to learn ?
The instrument used measured the degree of RMA and it consisted of four components which were; conditional knowledge, planning, regulation and evaluation. The study was carried among 317 Form Five students. Data was collected based on the Index of Reading Awareness (IRA). This Index consisted of 20 questions appraising the level of RMA.
IRA was chosen by McLain, Gridley and McIntosh (1991) because they found it suitable for measuring the level of reading metacognitive awareness. Lipson and Wixson (1989) also recommended that teachers used the IRA to detect the level of students’ metacognitive awareness, as well as in ensuring the effectiveness of metacognitive strategies.
This study has shown that the differences between boys and girls in the reading metacognitive awareness is significant. This means that girls are more conscious in reading than male students. This finding is compatible with the studies of Paris and Jacobs (1984) in which female students scored significantly higher than male students in the IRA.
The findings also show that differences in residence and socioeconomic status of families of students in the reading metacognitive awareness are not significant. Students who live in the city and the students who live in rural areas have the same abilities in the reading metacognitive awareness. This indicates that the level of awareness and control of a student of metacognitive in reading is not dependent on external factors such as place of residence and the surrounding socioeconomic status families of students. What is important, the students must receive training, exposure and systematic testing to increase the level of awareness of metacognitive in reading.
From another aspect, the findings of this study suggested that differences in students’ self-assessment of metacognitive awareness of reading is significant. It clearly shows that there is self-assessment which affects students metacognitive awareness of reading.
In addition, this study also shows that the difference in the amount of reading time in the metacognitive awareness of reading is significant. This clearly shows that the use of the time to read influence the metacognitive awareness of reading.
These findings show that the students’ personalities or internal factors also influences metacognitive awareness of reading. Therefore, they need to be changed through intervention, education or psychological actions to improve the functions of personality and cognitive and metacognitive skills so that they are more prepared for a systematic and balanced academic achievement.
Keywords: Index of Reading Awareness, Learning Skills, Reading Metacognitive Awareness, Reading Strategies and Secondary Schools.
Modeling the Effects of Land Use Change and Management Practices on Runoff and Sediment Yields in Fincha Watershed, Blue Nile
Abdi Boru Ayana a, Desalegn Chemeda Edossa b, Ekasit Kositsakulchai c
a Oromia Bureau of Agriculture, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
b Department of Civil Engineering, Central University of Technology, South Africa.
c Department of Irrigation Engineering, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 75-88, 2014.
Abstract: In the Nile Basin, water from the Ethiopian highlands, particularly from the Blue Nile, has in the past benefited downstream people in Sudan and Egypt in different ways – agriculture, livestock, industry and power generation. Blue Nile contributes up to 62% of the total flow (measured at Aswan) and similar proportion of sediment to the Nile flow system. However, such benefits are now threatened due to the fact that the upper Blue Nile is heavily affected by watershed management problems, caused by overpopulation, poor cultivation and land use practices, deforestation and overgrazing, resulting in significant loss of soil fertility, rapid degradation of natural systems, significant sediment depositions in the lakes and reservoirs and sedimentation of irrigation infrastructures such as canals. Poor water and land management upstream reduces both potential runoff yields and the quality of water reaching downstream. The result is a vicious cycle of poverty and food insecurity for millions in the upstream; and poor water quality, heavy siltation, flooding, and poor temporal water distribution in the downstream threatening livelihood and economies in the downstream. It is widely recognized that improved watershed management in the Blue Nile will significantly increase water availability for various stakeholders within the basin. Preventing anthropogenic sediments reaching the Nile water system and enhancing runoff generated from upstream watersheds requires a better understanding of the characteristics, sources and processes generating the sediments so that effective land use and management practices can be implemented. The objective of this study was, therefore, to predict the effects of land use and management practices on runoff and sediment yields in Fincha watershed of Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia, using SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model. Calibration results showed that the model adequately predicted runoff volumes and sediment yields with coefficient of determinations (R2) ranging from 0.82 to 0.86 and Nash Sutcliffe efficiency (ENS) ranging from 0.73 to 0.85. Simulation of various land use scenarios showed that average monthly runoff volumes increased by 12.68, 2.24 and 4.74%, respectively, when 20% of forest, 20% of grazing, and 20% of shrub land is converted to agricultural land. The respective increase in average monthly sediment yields were 16.20, 2.07 and 3.80%. Moreover, average monthly runoff volumes and sediment yields were increased by 17.86 and 19.46%, respectively, when 20% of each of forest, grazing, and shrub lands are converted to agricultural land simultaneously. Simulation of management practices also indicated that while runoff volumes remained almost constant, average monthly sediment yields decreased by 20.82 – 24.41 t/ha under various land use scenarios as the result of soil conservation interventions. This study demonstrated that SWAT model is a useful tool for modeling the impacts of land use and management practices on the hydrological processes and thus can serve as a basis for developing sound watershed management interventions in the study area.
Keywords: Ethiopia, Fincha watershed, land use, runoff, sediment yield
Community Participation in Natural Resources Governance: An Exposition of the Outcomes of Alternative Mining Indabas in Zimbabwe
Lillian Matsika a, Veronica Zano b, Dorothy Hove c, Ronnie James K Murungu d
a, d Actionaid Zimbabwe, Newlands , Harare, Zimbabwe.
b Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association, Zimbabwe.
c Christian aid Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 89-98, 2014.
Abstract: Zimbabwe`s mining sector continues to be touted as the anchor and backbone to country’s economic growth and poverty reduction initiatives. This fact is acknowledged in the Government of Zimbabwe’s five year development plan where mining and mineral beneficiation have been identified as an important development cluster. Mining is outlined as the lead sector based on its contribution to both the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and export earning having contributed nearly 20% and 60% respectively in 2013. However given the prominence mining has in the economic and fiscal realm of the country in Zimbabwe there is limited participation by communities in natural resources governance. Platforms for communities to dialogue with government and mining companies on the impacts of mining on the life in general and livelihoods in particular are very few. Despite the potential of the mining sector to contribute to economic development, the sector is presently causing untold suffering to the local communities living adjacent to mining operations. Some of the problems affecting mining communities include issues of forced evictions and relocations of communities from their traditional lands without free and prior informed consent and lack of fair and adequate compensation in order to pave way for mining activities. These irregular relocations and resettlements have been done and continue to be done without government and the mining companies recognising local communities as an important stakeholder in the mining sector. This situaton is leaving a lot of poor men, women and children suffering from loss of agricultural and grazing lands, thereby, threatening their food security and livelihoods. The situation is even worse for rural women as they are heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods. Furthermore, mining activities continue to cause environmental degradation, siltation of rivers, water and air pollution that affect their lives related to extractives.
The above scenario sets a clear justification for convening Alternative Mining Indabas as open platforms for mining affected communities to discuss the impacts of mining on their livelihoods, rights and environment with the government and the mining companies. The fundamental concept behind the initiative being to enable communities to deliberate on these issues and provide a platform within which they develop advocacy strategies that would ensure the protection, promotion and realization of their rights in the mining sector by government and mining companies. Alternative mining Indabas have evolved to become the biggest public interest gatherings on mining and mining impacts in Zimbabwe. This paper thus serves as an expose of the major outcomes from all alternative mining Indabas held in Zimbabwe in 2014.
Keywords: Governance, Indabas, Mining, Participation, Zimbabwe.
Environmental Racism in the Durban South Region: the Importance of Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessments
Lembenji William Mngoma a, Eunice Tressa Dlamini b
a Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, Government of South Africa, South Africa.
b Independent Researcher in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg.99-109, 2014.
Abstract: The idea of community participation is seen as one of the ingredients necessary to promote sustainable development. Community participation is firmly entrenched in the constitution of South Africa. It revolves around communities taking responsibility for themselves in the ways that will assist them in improving their quality of life. The participation of the community in the Durban South Basin should be seen as a way in which citizens contribute towards the shaping of the final decisions with regard to industrial and community development in the area. The shaping of the final decision-making about the location of industries has been a bone of contention between the industrialists and the community of the Durban South Basin. This area characterizes a long history of conflicts between residents and the industrialists. The struggle of the community members has been for a better life for all in the area, free from toxic fumes.
The Objectives of the study were: (1) to establish the significant decision makers in the Durban South Industrial Basin, (ii) to explore how the public, generally excluded from the decision-making process are able to hold their own in the light of development demands from business, (iii) and to determine to what extent the structures of production, particularly industrial and petrol related industries affect local municipalities in decision-making.
Methodology used in collecting data involved the review of published material on the study area. These included government policies, studies done by local and international scholars in local and foreign tertiary institutions, parastatals as well as articles published in the newspapers from 1996 to 2014. Analysis of the documents was done in relation to policy guidelines and strategies for public participation. Respiratory illnesses are prevalent in the South Durban area due to the proximity of the residents to the industry. The study reflects that current practices and patterns of industrialization, have contributed to the questioning of the development process which has been labelled as unsustainable. The analysis revealed that the neglect of people by industries amounts to environmental racism and this is regarded as violation of human rights. The Durban South community exposed to the toxic environment consists mainly of Non-white populations of South Africa. The recommendations from the study encourage the industrialists to access local and traditional knowledge so that they will be able to understand and respond to public concerns with reference to diverse communities.
Keywords: environmental racism, industrialization, pollution, public participation and respiratory illnesses
Democratization and Political Development in Nigeria under the Fourth Republic
Moshood Saka
Department of Political Science, School of Social Sciences,
University of Kwazulu-Natal, Howard College, Durban, South Africa.
Volume 07, Issue 11, Pg. 109-122, 2014.
Abstract: This article explores the rationale for democratisation and political development under the Fourth Republic of Nigeria. In the process of this underlying process, Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa which experiences unending transition from the military regimes to democratic rules after the cessation of the British rule in 1960. However,the success of the founding election in 1999 was a sine qua non for the national unity of the country as well as for the interest of dispersed territory. Thus, the process of democratisation often assorted to political challenges which have threatened the national unity of the country.The performance has provoked the intervention of the scholars to wonder about the sustainability of the country in the face of the current challenges. The assessment of the first and second wave of democratisation have witnessed this situation between 1974 and 1990, of course, there is hope and fortune for the Nigeria democratic process to establish political arrangements in line with the principles of procedural legitimacy and triangular politics as the major criteria for sustainability of the new democracy in Africa.
Keywords: Democratization, democracy, sustainability, political arrangements